A Statement of Faith

Pastor, author,speaker, and blogger Mark Roberts recently left Irvine Presbyterian Church in the United States where he was the Senior Pastor in order to become the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence of Laity Lodge. As a Presbyterian pastor, he will be examined for his theological stand as he moves from one Presbytery to another. Usually, they will be required to present their statement of faith. Mark's presentation is unique and worth reading:

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with thee; Thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not; As thou hast been thou forever wilt be. (1)

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee; Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty! God in three Persons, blessed Trinity! (2)

Sing praise to God Who reigns above, the God of all creation, The God of power, the God of love, the God of our salvation. With healing balm my soul is filled and every faithless murmur stilled: To God all praise and glory.

The Lord is never far away, but through all grief distressing, An ever present help and stay, our peace and joy and blessing. As with a mother’s tender hand, God gently leads the chosen band: To God all praise and glory. (3)

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature, O Thou of God and man the Son, Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor, Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations! Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise, adoration, Now and forever more be Thine. (4)

Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne. Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own. Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee, And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity. (5)

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer. (6)

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart; Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move; Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art; And make me love Thee as I ought to love. (7)

Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise. Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love. Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne. Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store. Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee. (8)

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after Thy will, While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Hold o’er my being absolute sway! Fill with Thy Spirit ’till all shall see Christ only, always, living in me. (9)

O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter, Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee: Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above. (10)

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word! What more can He say than to you He hath said, You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled? (11)

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. (12)

The Church’s one foundation Is Jesus Christ her Lord, She is His new creation By water and the Word. From heaven He came and sought her To be His holy bride; With His own blood He bought her And for her life He died.

Elect from ev’ry nation, Yet one o’er all the earth; Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth; One holy Name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses, With every grace endued. (13)

We are the Body of which the Lord is Head, Called to obey Him, now risen from the dead; He wills us be a family, Diverse yet truly one: O let us give our gifts to God, And so shall his work on earth be done.

We are a temple, the Spirit’s dwelling place, Formed in great weakness, a cup to hold God’s grace; We die alone, for on its own Each ember loses fire: Yet joined in one the flame burns on To give warmth and light, and to inspire. (14)

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim, Till all the world adore His sacred Name. (15)

Multiply Your love through us To the lost and the least. Let us be Your healing hands Your instruments of peace. May our single purpose be To imitate Your life. Through our simple words and deeds Let love be multiplied.

Let us see Your kingdom come To the poor and broken ones. Let us see a mighty flood Of justice and mercy, O Jesus. Let love be multiplied. Let love be multiplied.

Multiply Your church through us To the ends of the Earth. Where there’s only barrenness Let us see new birth. Use us as Your laborers Working side by side. Let us see your harvest come. Let love be multiplied. (16)

Finish then Thy new creation, Pure and spotless let us be; Let us see Thy great salvation Perfectly restored in Thee! Changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before Thee, Lost in wonder, love, and praise. (17)

Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed thy hand hath provided; Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! (18)

References

(1) “Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Thomas Chisholm, 1923. Refrain.

(2) “Holy, Holy, Holy” by Reginald Heber, 1826. Verse 1.

(3) “Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above” by Johann Schütz, 1675; trans. Frances Cox, 1864. Verses 1 & 3.

(4) “Fairest Lord Jesus” from Münster Gesangbuch, 1677; trans. Joseph Seiss, 1873, Verses 1 & 5.

(5) “Crown Him with Many Crowns,” by Matthew Bridges, 1852. Verse 1.

(6) “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” by Joseph Scriven, 1855. Verse 2.

(7) “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart” by George Croly, 1854. Verse 1.

(8) “Take My Life and Let It Be,” by Frances Havergal, 1874. Verses 1 & 3.

(9) “Have Thine Own Way” by Adelaide Pollard, 1907. Verses 1 & 4.

(10) “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” by Robert Robinson, 1758. Verse 4.

(11) “How Firm a Foundation” by John Rippon, 1878. Verse 1.

(12) “Trust and Obey” by John Sammis, 1887. Verse 1 and refrain.

(13) “The Church’s One Foundation,” by Samuel Stone, 1866. Verses 1 & 2.

(14) “We Are God’s People,” by Bryan Jeffery Leech, 1976. Verses 3 & 4.

(15) “Lift High the Cross,” by George Kitchin, 1916. Refrain.

(16) “Multiply Your Love,” by Andy Park, CCLI #3278422.

(17) “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” by Charles Wesley, 1747. Verse 4.

(18) “Great is Thy Faithfulness” by Thomas Chisholm, 1923. Refrain.

read more about his statement of faith here